The forestry board will be under pressure to act swiftly. The Southern California wildfire season, along with the notorious Santa Ana winds, will be fast approaching. The National Interagency Fire Center has already issued warnings that the “significant fire potential will increase to above normal” with the state mired in a second-straight dry year.

The EIR is the environmental guide for the overarching vegetation management plan that covers the entire state. By having an on-the-shelf statewide EIR, officials would not have to go through another arduous and potentially costly localized reviews under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Critics say that would short-circuit the public’s right to challenge individual clearing projects.

“Property owners nearby would have no notice until the bulldozers showed up,” said Landis of the Native Plant Society. Added Halsey of the Chaparral Institute: “Even if we knew there were serious impacts we couldn’t do anything about it.”

Gentry said that is not necessarily the case. Local Fire Safe Councils will have input and many have public representation. Also, projects will still have to comply with environmental regulations, particularly prescribed burns that raise public health alarms.

A safer plan?

The Chaparral Institute and Native Plant Society argue that uncontested projects could threaten to disrupt the natural terrain, cause erosion and potentially invite more fire-prone weeds and invasive species.

“They’re making landscapes that are more ignitable … It’s not going to make us any safer from fire,” Landis said.

Russ Henly, an assistant deputy director for Cal Fire who is leading the EIR preparations, said the plan divides the state into micro-regions to tailor clearing strategies and protect the natural habitat.

“We’re not out to convert vegetation types for fuel management, " he said.

The EIR has other defenders, including the National Park Service, and the California Forest Stewardship Council, which represents the timber industry.

The National Park Service generally praised the plan, noting that all proper clearing methods need to be available.

California Invasive Pest Council said a range of alternatives must be made available given what’s at stake, including herbicides.

But herbicides would be used sparingly. According to the plan, herbicides would be applied on 10 percent of the acreage and be used only as maintenance after the initial clearing.

The debate over extensive use of herbicides cost the state it’s first attempt at this in 2002. That’s when a court tossed out the initial program for being overly reliant on chemicals.

Work on the latest EIR started in 2005, but it was slowed by funding shortages.

The controversial plan also comes up just as rural residents whose homes are defended by Cal Fire have been forced to pay a new $150 annual fee, ostensibly for fire prevention programs. That fee is being challenged in court.

The price tag for firefighting is steep. In addition to routine spending, the state taps a special “emergency fire suppression” account that fluctuates depending on the severity of the season.

The state ran more than $1 billion over budget over fiscal years 2006-07 through 2009-10. Most recently the state estimates it will spend nearly $123 million more on firefighting than originally budgeted in 2012-13.